Viscose Closures installs Mark Andy flexo press

Viscose Closures has installed a Mark Andy Evolution Series E5 flexo press at its headquarters in Swansea, doubling production speeds and cutting waste by over 85 percent on 6-color jobs.

Established in 1892, Viscose Closures is one of the UK's leading suppliers of tamper-evident packaging. The investment represents a strategic step in enhanced print quality, production efficiency and overall capacity to fulfill burgeoning demand for its products.

'This investment marks a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to quality and growth. The new Mark Andy flexo press allows us to deliver even higher-quality printed heat-shrink sleeves with greater speed and precision, something our customers increasingly rely on as product security and shelf appeal remain top priority,' commented Emma Blackmore, managing director at Viscose.

The Mark Andy Evolution E5 is a 6-color 17-inch (430mm) press fitted with full LED/UV curing, chilled impression rolls and an overhead rail to allow for converting options to be added as subsequent demand dictates. The press is fitted with a rewind for straight roll-to-roll production. Rated at 228m/min, the E5 will more than double previous production speeds. In addition to offering better print quality, the Evolution E5 will have a major impact on turnaround times in a market that is becoming ever more dependent on just-in-time delivery and allow smaller minimum order quantities.

'We started looking for a new press in 2024 and were particularly impressed with Mark Andy's attention to detail in the tendering process. Nothing was too much trouble for them as they guided us through the technicalities and customized the press for our specific requirements. Having a UK base with a strong service commitment was another key factor,' noted Stephen Armstrong, head of operations at Viscose.

The new Evolution E5 will be used on the company's heat-shrink business that produces cut bands, open top capsules and reel-fed tubing, using either recyclable PET, 30 percent recycled-content RPET or industrially compostable PLA. Designed to run LED inks, unlike its solvent-dependent predecessor, the Mark Andy press is less energy-intensive, cleaner, easier to operate and maintain, and more efficient.

Viscose sectors served include food and drink, health and vitamins, beauty and cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals, all of which demand high-resolution graphics and high accuracy. The new Mark Andy will assist Viscose to grow its business by offering extended printed sleeve options to existing customers, as well as allowing entry into new markets like nutritional drinks. In the few weeks since installation, Armstrong reports a new contract has been secured for work that the company could not previously handle or quote for competitively.

'This investment marks the beginning of a new era for Viscose Closures in terms of six-color production capability at high speed with much reduced operating costs, and highlights what the latest technology has to offer in terms of efficiency and sustainability,' added Antony Cotton, sales manager at Mark Andy.

Located in a modern 45,000 sqft unit in one of Swansea's industrial parks and employing more than 40 staff, the company produced almost 2.5 million meters of heat-shrink material last year. This accounted for around 25 percent of an overall turnover of 7 million GBP.